Dominate
by imagine forever
Summary: I couldn't help but be thankful for Jace here, comforting me. I twisted my head up and around to kiss him lightly, what I got in return was much more.    Dominate takes place just a few hours after City of Glass's ending. Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello everyone! So this is my first fanfiction eva, hope u like it... **_

_**I know the chapter is kinda short, but it's basically the intro, don't worry the next chapters will be longer! **_

**__****_xoxoxo_**

**_- Imagine forever _**

Clary's POV

I was happy. For once in the past couple of months—wait no- probably for the last couple of _years _I was smiling, the feeling was pure. I felt at home under the fire works, under Jace's arm. No more secrets, no more betrayal. The display was continual, until midnight, with wine, food dancing and music. A night of celebration, and an evening of remembrance. We had lost so many Shadow Hunters, young and old.

The city would not be back to the normal routine tomorrow morning. Everyone would mourn for their lost ones, the Clave had to choose new members, and then there was the matter of Simon's two new love interests, Maia and Isabelle. Isabelle was staring longingly at Simon's arm around Maia. _Score one for Maia_ I thought and chuckled. The soft rumble of laughter through my body was enough to catch Jace's attention.

"What?" he whispered in my ear.

"I was just thinking about Simon and the extra attention he'll get"

Jace smiled and turned his head back to the show. I couldn't help but marvel at the scene before me:

The square clearing in Alicante was lit up with luminous bright lights; a band was playing soft classical music. A number of people were dancing in the square, including my mom and Luke. My mother looked stunning. Her redish brown hair piled up atop her head. She wore a pin that resembled the rune of Peace in her hair, and a broche that was pinned in her midsection that brought the peach coloured fabric up into place. Her eyes were closed and a smile of pure love was splayed across her lips. I pressed my lips together and looked up to see Jace's eyes pinned on mine.

"I take it you want to dance" he told me.

I nodded my laughter jingled across the clearing. I wasn't afraid of my clumsiness this time, I just wanted to go and enjoy myself, I was tired of worrying, I was tired of fear, I was tired of lies and secrets. I'm only so big, it's not like I can fill my tiny body with unhappiness.

I laced my fingers together around Jace's neck and his artist's hands made their place on my hips.

The songs played through for hours, or it could've been days, time seemed to be at lost. It was the scream that jostled us back to reality. At first I hoped that it was just some part of my mind replaying a scene from the battle, subconsciously. But the sound was a scream of untainted fear, and I'd been fighting long enough to know the difference.

This was the scream that had brought all my previous worries and fears alive again.


	2. Chapter 2

_**I thank the people who invented the fan and iced tea. Climbing three flights of stairs to my bedroom isn't exactly 'easy'. And yes, in Canada we do have hot summers, this summer especially. It's like 31 degrees Celsius, although last time I heard Americans use Fahrenheit, so don't ask me the equivalent. Anyway, it's really hot today and I'm grumpy, so no jokes about being Canadian. I've never said 'Eh' in my life, thank you very much. AND I DO NOT PLAY HOCKEY…. Ugh. I'm not your typical Canadian chick, Eh? **_

_**Okay, So now that I'm done ranting, and am a little less grumpy, I have some questions for you guys. A} Who's your fav character and why**_

_**B} which character do you relate to most**_

_**C} Give me a song of your preference that you think would best describe your character from answer A}. **_

_**(Answer and review, thanks) **_

Narrator

**Disclaimer: I do not own the mortal instruments, even if that would be totally freakin' awesome. **

Several Shadow Hunters were pulled apart from their partners and turned in shock towards the sound of the cry. No one was prepared, women in dresses and the men in suites. The guards of Alicante were celebrating too; the city was close to being defenseless.

Clary turned to Jace, he was already running. Clary wished that Jace would drop his 'protecting the world' getup and leave this to the guards and Clave. _Oh, that's right_, Clary thought, _there is no permanent Clave; it was somewhat destroyed in the freakin' battle we all risked our lives for. Wonderful_. She broke into run, and tripped over the hem of her dress. The shoes weren't exactly helping either. Clary's wasn't having an exactly 'fun' night she was hoping for. She released the straps of the heels, and held them in a tight grip as she ran after Jace. She caught a glimpse of Luke telling her mother something before he broke in a run with a few members of his pack. They turned.

Clary found that she was faster and stronger than when she was living in the human world, the Shadow Hunter world now seemed so different and distant from the other. She reared the corner of one of the squares buildings, and continued on after Jace and a few other Shadow hunters. They reached another corner that opened up into a market square, the street was dimly lit.

It was Isabelle who found her.

Isabelle had been running beside Alec, who was all eyes and ears looking for movement in the market place. Isabelle's stilettos were still inon her pedicured feet clicking on the brick road as she ran. Unlike Clary, Isabelle was granted the ability of high-heeled running, fighting, and hell, even jumping. Isabelle and Alec ran passed multiple alleyways, with quick glances checking for activity.

They were moving fast, Alec was about to move on to the next alleyway when Isabelle caught sight of a trail of blood.

"Alec, come here, I found something" Alec came over to stare at the blood.

"It's left over from the battle; they probably missed this spot when they were taking the bodies." Alec had choked a bit on 'bodies' remembering his little brother.

"No, Alec it's fresh, see?" Isabelle wasn't about to ruin her vintage and very expensive dress so she moved away from the blood stain, letting Alec examine the wet pattern.

Alec and Isabelle took a couple of steps forward deeper into the ally. They could barley see, but they continued on.

"Stop!" Alec said sharply to Isabelle.

"Wha-?"

Isabelle looked down to see a body attempting. The body was pale from blood loss, the neck of the corpse was twisted and limp. "At least this person didn't suffer, whoever did this broke the neck before draining the blood" Alec stated. Isabelle brought her hand up to her cheek, found that she was crying. It wasn't normal, well most things weren't normal these days, but it wasn't normal for her to be crying. Isabelle was always toughing it out, keeping her feeling masked over by the sexy and sly image most people took her for. Ever since Max's death she found herself crying, which was emotional overkill for a girl like Isabelle.

Alec looked didn't know what to say to Isabelle. He didn't usually have to deal with girls and their emotions for many reasons. He just grunted and hoped it sounded something along the lines of sympathy. It's the thought that counts right?

"We should head on, Izzy" Alec used her nickname hoping it would take her mind off other things.

The alleyway was different it lead on longer then most. Isabelle pulled herself together and continued.

"That's weird" exclaimed Alec. "I could've sworn that this side" he pointed to the left wall. "was wood, and the right side was brick." Now both sides appeared a cold black surface.

Neither Alec nor Isabelle could identify the substance. When Isabelle touched the wall, for only a second, she saw a flash of something dark. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Alec, the wall…" She held her hand back up for a little longer. She surrounded by blackness, that's all there was, and she was falling, she could feel the fabric of the dress flying and flapping around her. She tried to take her hand off the wall, but Isabelle Lightwood was gone.

"What about the wall Isabelle?"

When he didn't hear a response, he turned around to see Isabelle's face pale and her eyes staring blankly into nothingness.

"Isabelle?" he yelled.

He shook her, she didn't move. He brought her away from the wall and laid his sister on the ground. He was suddenly thankful that he had his Stele with him, he didn't know what was wrong with her, but she was clearly distant. He traced the rune of Healing and the rune of Renewal. He made sure that they weren't touching the wall. A few minutes past, and Alec was trying desperately to stay calm. He'd already lost his brother, if his sister was gone, he would never be able to forgive himself.

Finally, Isabelle's eyes fluttered open. She was pale and her voice cracked and dry when she said one word.

"Portal!"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hi everyone, so this chapter is so far my fav! I included Simon and a bit of Mangus, so you can just tell it'll be interesting. Like I always say "To think Mangus, think glitter". Well I really don't think I've ever said that but whatever it makes sense. Have you noticed that my author notes always turn into mindless rambling? I hope that you find it entertaining rather that irritable because I'm righting this at… 12:11pm, and I just finished drinking a bright blue leftover slushie. A very healthy midnight snack if I do say so myself. Anyways, check out my profile, because I laughed and laughed well I wrote it and had a lot of fun, and if a crazy girl laughs then it's bound to be hilarious. **_

Chapeter 3

Narrator

"Simon, are you okay?" asked Clary, she knew he was jittery all along, but only asked just now.

"Perfect" Simon said looking around drastically, tapping his foot and fiddling with a string that came loose on his pant suit.

"Stop it, that's a rental" Clary scolded.

"Clary I love you and all, but I hardly find it necessary for you to lecture me on my nervous tendencies" Simon exclaimed.

"It is if you want to pay the whole damn two hundred and eighty dollars plus the rental cost" Clary told him in a matter-of-fact voice. Simon sighed and dropped the dark material.

Clary stopped searching after she tripped for the second time that night and ripped the hem of the dress skirt. She swore a few times than broke down into hysterics, a mixture of laughing and crying at the irony. Jace gave her a concerned look and told her to sit down. After she'd pulled herself together she found Simon. About five minutes into their conversation, debating on which would melt faster in a microwave; Plastic Straw VS Bubble Wrap, Robert and Maryrse Lightwood strode up to them, Maryrse looking quite disturbed. "Have you seen Alec or Isabelle?"

"Why? What happened? Are they okay?" Clary asked startled.

"Clary" Simon had said in a calm reassuring voice only half mocking.

"What?"

"Do you think they would be asking if they knew?" the mocking voice asked

Clary huffed in frustration. Then continued.

"No, we haven't seen them, do you need help looking?" Clary asked.

Simon looked down at her approvingly, Clary rolled her eyes. Maryse nodded and then went to the ask Mangus if he'd seen them.

Clary and Simon had no luck searching and now here they were; Clary scolding Simon over a loose hem.

"Sorry Simon, I'm nervous too" Clary admitted.

"No kidding"

This was another sign of Simon's nervousness, sarcasm. He only used it when he was nervous or… with Jace. Jace on the other hand used it whenever seemed necessary, which apparently in his mind, was a lot.

Clary looked at Maia, she was pretty, big brown eyes and long straight black hair. During the celebration Clary noticed her smiling a lot, in fact everyone seemed happy. And now everyone looked a little scattered. Maia was chatting away to a friend, most likely a member of the pack. Clary guessed the news hadn't reached her yet.

"Do you love her?" The question surprised Clary herself.

Simon looked taken aback, "Who, Maia?"

"Yea, Maia, who else?" Clary remembered Isabelle than wished she'd hadn't asked.

"I thought you might have meant…" he trailed off.

"Isabelle?" Clary suggested reluctantly.

"Yes"

"Sorry for being nosy, just a random thought"

"No, no it's okay, I kinda wanted to talk about it with you"

"Okay shoot!" Clary tried to sound enthusiastic, but she found it a little awkward, talking to Simon about girls, especially when she had gone out with him herself.

Simon began slowly.

"No."

Clary waited.

"No, I don't think I love her, she's a great friend and she's pretty cool, but I don't think I love her."

"And… Isabelle" Clary swore mentally, she hadn't meant to ask that question either.

"I have no idea!" he said in utter confusion.

"Explain" Clary ordered.

"I mean I know Maia, we spend time together, we laugh but there's never anything 'special' there. And Isabelle" He paused, lost in a thought. "And Isabelle, I don't know her too well. I know she likes me, and she's gorgeous, but she just seems like a hand full, just too much for me, ya know?" He continued, speaking quickly as if he would be cut off at any moment.

"It's like Maia's too little and Isabelle's too much, and I mean that in the most politest way possible"

"And you, Clary" he put an arm around her shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. "You're the balance, because I know you well, we know everything about each other, we've been through everything together, we make each other happy, you're the only person who I can debate with about exploding microwavable house hold products. And I love you for it"

Clary at first thought he meant 'in love, love' which made her start to panic, but something in his light tone told her that he only meant love, just the simple fun love they have for each other. She smiled and gave him the best bear hug a five foot five girl could give.

They were interrupted by Alec half carrying Isabelle through one of the alleyways.

"She's alive, just unconscious." Alec told his parents who came rushing up towards him and his sister at first notice.

"What happened?" Jace asked in his 'I'll-take-it-from-here voice that Clary knew too well. Alec ignored him, and ushered for the guards to take her to the house. "Mangus, charm this alleyway with a blocking spell, no one go in!" Alec told Mangus. Alec went on "Jace, mom, dad, Jocelyn, Luke , Clary, Mangus, and Simon, come to the house" he looked as if he were to say more, but closed his mouth and followed the guards carrying his sister.

Clary told Simon to fallow everyone back to the house; she was headed to where Magnus was standing blue powdered mist forming from his hands. He was reciting the spell, in a language that Clary couldn't identify. When Clary came closer to the alley she was overcome by an unsettling feeling. She felt something dark, something like a pitch black shadow reaching for her soul, she jumped back and the feeling slowly recoiled. Her heart was beating rapidly and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead and back. She took short and panting breaths.

Mangus's cat eyes came to her own. "Hey, I'm no good with the whole fever thing, seeing as I don't get sick, but kid you look like hell."

"I'm fine, I don't feel sick" She lied

"Okay, well sick or not you look like hell"

"Thanks Mangus" she turned to go.

"But I mean the nicest part of hell!" he suggested lamely.

"Whatever, ya coming or not?" Clary asked annoyed.

"Ya, I'll catch up in a few"

"K, be quick" she warned.

When Clary left towards the house, the sweat stopped and her pulse had slowed. However, the strength of the pulling darkness still lingered deep inside her fragile soul.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Bonjour mes amies! (or 'Hello my friends") J'amapelle Imagine Forever, et j'aimes les personnes qui review ma fanfictions! (I am Imagine Forever and I love people who review my fanfictions) **_

_**As you can tell my French is quite advanced. NOT, I Guarantee that there are at least 5 spelling errors in that sentence. But that's not the point; the point is I love people who review my fanfics! And the people at fairs who operate the rides who smell like cigarette smoke and turkey drumsticks. I find myself oddly attracted to them…. **_

_**Anyways, off topic once again… I liked this chapter (some PG 13 material) a lot because it's longish and once again interesting. So I hope you enjoy!**_

Chapter 4

Clary

It's a good thing I'm small. The three seat sofa was over crowded with Jace, myself, Simon, Mangus and a now distraught Izzy with an ice pack on her head. Alec was on the other side of the oak coffee table sitting in a plush arm chair. Robert and Maryse occupied one love seat and my mom and Luke the other. We wasted a good twenty minutes waiting for Mangus, who apparently had to reapply his bright purple eyeliner. When he told us this, Jace rolled his eyes, Simon gave him an annoyed look and Alec just stared at him like wasting twenty minutes of make up reapply time made his boy friend even more stunning. I tried not to laugh.

"So, are we going to began or what?" I asked.

"Alright, first off, Mangus what do you know about portals?" Alec asked, the question shocked everyone but Izzy.

"Well, there is only one kind of portal, but about a hundred things that can go wrong."

"Such as…?" Alec trailed.

"The most common problem would be ending up in a place you had no intentions of going" He continued.

From across the room Luke gave me a skeptical look, remembering when we first entered Idris and we ended up in the poisoned lake. I quickly looked away, apparently I wasn't totally forgiven.

"There's also the matter of making a portal, you have to have it well guarded to prevent provoking demons.' He paused before continuing "The most dangerous problem would be when a portal is only half finished"

"How so?" it was Maryse who spoke. After Alec had introduced Mangus to his parents, Robert didn't look too worried it was Maryse who took it hard, she spoke to Mangus quite formally.

"When a sorcerer hasn't completed a portal, it's half finished, so my friends it only half works, think of it as Simon's brain."

"Oh, I get it now" Jace said slyly hitting his knee. I hit him. Hard. He flinched.

"Sorry arm spasm" I said shrugging.

Mangus glared at us. My mom ignored us and asked "And what would happen if you traveled through an incomplete portal?"

"The best outcome would involve the traveler not being able to get through to their destination, resulting in being transferred to their original starting point. The worst way, which is only a theory, is that you would be slowly sucked into the portal. Your soul would be taken from your body and you would remain that way until an interference broke the contact with the person and the portal. The longer you stay in the portal, the harder it is to be returned to the body."

I flickered my eyes in Isabelle's direction, she burst into tears. Everyone went quiet. Slowly the tears stopped and she nodded for Alec to continue. The awkward silence was broken through by Alec's unsure voice.

"If what you say is true, than we have a problem on our hands, Izzy just went through a portal in the alleyway, and she was ...ugh… out of it"

"I'm fine now though, just a headache" she said sheepishly.

"That still doesn't explain the scream" said Jace.

"We found a body" Izzy's voice creaked "probably of a shadow hunter and there was fresh blood. The body had the blood drained out of it; it must have been a demon." Those words brought back misery to my thoughts. All the demons were gone when Valentine died. I spoke up "Then the demon was summoned after the battle, since they all disappeared after _his _death."

"Right, so now we need to figure out who made the portal, summoned the demon and why." Jace added.

Our little meeting was shortly over. Alec mentioned a cold black hard mineral surface on the walls, Mangus said he would examine it tomorrow. I was now sleeping in the Lightwood's house, sharing a room with Izzy. Simon was with Alec, we thought they would be a safer pair, than Jace. My mom and Luke shared a room at Atimis's house, Mangus said he'd find a way on his own.

"Night mom, night Luke" I said as heading for the stairs. I don't think I would ever end up calling Luke 'dad' and not because I didn't think that they would get married, because calling Luke 'dad' seemed just wrong. I've called him by his name ever since I can remember; besides I don't believe in labels. Take Jace for example; he's much more to me than a boyfriend and _soul mate _sounds cheesy, so I don't even try to put a label under his name.

"Night Clary" They said in unison. They headed out the door.

I went up the stairs, and stopped abruptly. I looked towards where I once saw Max sitting on the window seat and reading a manga comic, the one we'd lent him. It brought tears to my eyes, two familiar hands wrapped around my waste. "I miss him too, Clary" Jace said softly. I couldn't believe I was the one crying, Jace had known Max longer than me, they were brothers. Still, I couldn't help but be thankful for Jace here, comforting me. I twisted my head up and around to kiss him lightly, what I got in return was much more. I turned so that my body was facing his, our lips pressed together fiercely, his grip holding me firmly against his chest. I reached up and put my hands through his hair. Somehow we managed to get to his bedroom door, my legs tangled up and around his back. He kicked the door open with minimal effort, and closed it, his free left hand sliding the lock into place.

Simon

It must've been three in the morning. It didn't matter though, I was used to the late nights. They didn't call us Night Crawlers for nothing. Although, I found the name a little dramatic, sounded like something out of a comic, like the ones Clary and I had read when we were thirteen. I missed those days, I knew we still had unfinished business here in Alicante, and I wasn't about to complain. But, I really couldn't wait until we were home, in New York, having late night movie marathons and pigging out on cold pizza and Doritos. I sighed, remembering I didn't eat food anymore. I couldn't wrap my head around the image of Clary watching the Spiderman movies munching on popcorn and me slurpin' away on a blood baggy.

I got up and walked around the room. Alec was asleep, drooling on his pillow and snoring. I went to the door and stepped out into the hallway. I walked down the corridor, and my highly sensitive ears picked up on two snoring people. Same bed. Jace's room.

_Shit. No no no no no no no. Clary is sleeping with Jace. Can't be happening_.

I wasn't jealous, god no, not with Clary. But just when I was starting to like Jace, he chooses _this _night to screw with my best friend. I had an urge to barge into the room and carry Clary out of the house to her mother, so Jocelyn could give her the whole 411 on teen pregnancy. And if Jocelyn wouldn't do it, I would. Okay, maybe without the diagrams and details but I would lecture her out, alright.

"I wouldn't interrupt them if I were you, Jace isn't an early morning riser" Isabelle told me with a smirk.

"How did you know?" I asked

"Know that they were sleeping in there? Because, it doesn't take a genius to figure out where Clary went, after I found her cot empty." She said with a shrug. "And don't worry Simon; they probably didn't get too far without Jace refusing to go all 'clothes off', he's a lot more responsible than you think".

I didn't quite believe her, but it did relieve me a bit. I decided to change the subject.

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked

"When you're a part of a near death experience, sleep doesn't come to quickly." She responded.

We spent the next few minutes in silence before she sat down on the window seat and looked up at me.

"Max sat here…" Her words sounded more like a thought.

"I hate it!" she said a little too loudly. She brought her long _bare_ legs up to her chest and buried her face.

"I hate this emotional setback! Simon, it- it's like I can't even go a full day without crying or- or yelling, I could be depressed or, or I don't know, I'm just sick of it. It happened after Max was murdered, after my little brother was killed." Her voice was a mixture of sobs and hatred.

I'd noticed it too, Isabelle the pro poker face girl now in tears, more and more often. None of us new how to comfort her, it was so unusual.

But than it occurred to me that maybe that's the one thing she needs. Comfort. She was spilling over with tears, always keeping to herself and she didn't ever talk to anyone about it. I walked over to her side and sat down. I put my arm around her shoulder, and she leaned her tear stained face into my neck.

I hoped that the strokes my fingers made on her shoulder, didn't turn out to be frantic awkward pats.

She didn't talk, she didn't cry and I found myself oddly surprised that she didn't try to kiss me. She just stared deep in thought. She continued this for about fifteen minutes. "Thank you" she said sitting up, with a faint smile. She didn't need to say for what, because we both knew. I smiled back "anything for a friend" and I meant it. "You know, Izzy" I said "You really don't have to try so hard to cover up your emotions, if you let yourself a little loose, every once and a while, you'd be surprised at how much more you'll enjoy" I said, standing up. She stood up and said "Maia's really lucky to have you, and I really do mean that" she smiled and than returned to her room.

I stood there, feeling like a total moron. I must've stood there for ten minutes replaying the conversation in my head, before I returned to my cot. The clock read 5:24, as soon as my head hit the pillow I was asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hey guys!**_

_**It's been forever since I've updated, so sorry you guys…anyways apologies aside I have the most amazing news! I HAVE A UKULELE! I got it just a few hours ago and I'm totally obsessed. That makes me a proud player of the saxophone, guitar and ukulele, and I just started fencing! Fencing is a really fun experience and I recommend it to those who aren't the most athletic. Now, I know what your thinking 'what's so great about uncoordinated hormonal teens poking each other with poles' well people, I guess I'll let your know that I'm a uncoordinated teen that can barley kick a ball, but fencing is different. It involves a lot more than passing and throwing, in fact a lot of it is timing and aerobics, which is quite different than what we're used to in Phys Ed. **_

_**Hope you enjoy**_

Clary

That morning I awoke to Jace -shirtless- and giving me one of his cocky grins "Don't bother telling me how gorgeous-" I interrupted him "There is no way, Jace Wayland, that I am going to engage in a conversation about your looks at…" I looked over at the alarm clock "at eight in the morning" I turned to my left, so I wasn't facing him. "You would've said differently last night" he told me. He was right, I would've, but there was no way I was about to admit that. I rolled my eyes instead. "After all you were the one who suggested that we-" I cut him off again. "Drop it." I said in the best threatening voice I could manage. Apparently it worked! He didn't reply and I was soon fast asleep.

When I woke up again, Jace was dressed in a white tee shirt and jeans. His golden hair still wet from a shower. He padded over in bare feet and bent down so we were facing each other at eye level. "Shall we start the morning on a happier note?" he asked. Just to be funny I kissed him. He pulled me up out of the bed, still kissing, and was the first to break away. "That was a much, much happier note"he whispered in my ear. I giggled than broke away from the embrace.

"I see you showered without me" I told him. Flirting had never been my _thing_, but dating Jace made it easy, living with Isabelle for the past couple months didn't hurt either. And I wasn't serious; Jace knew that, we didn't even get past kissing last night before he was close to falling asleep. Yesterday had been one hell of a day. "I thought you could use the extra sleep" he replied, before eyeing his reflection in the wall length mirror. I smiled, "admiring yourself?" I asked him. He gave me a preoccupied frown as he straightened his shirt and said "I think you've known me long enough, to know my response", for the second or third time that morning I rolled my eyes. Then he went on "but primarily, yes I was indeed admiring my tortured self". "Tortured?" I asked, "Really? Now you're the next Edward Cullen? I certainly hope you don't drink blood from fawns, that is a tad of a turn off if you ask me." I said. Jace looked completely lost. "I have no idea what you just said to me, so I will replace that comment with the image of you begging for my attention" He looked rather proud of that thought.

I remembered how he didn't know most things about mundane pop culture, not that Jace was missing much, but still, I knew Simon would've laughed. I couldn't imagine people so sophisticated as the Lightwoods listening to 'let's have some fun this beat is sick, I wanna take a ride on your disco stick' while they sat drinking tea. Then I had the thought of Lady Gaga dancing on a table with Mangus, with Maryse and Robert staring at their son's boyfriend in utter disbelief. I burst out into laughter at the thought.

Jace looked at me funny, again . "Clary are you feeling alright, that's the second time you've had an…ugh… emotional outburst?" I tried to explain the concept of Twilight to him but he just asked me what Stephanie Meyer was thinking, the concept of a sparkly vampire. "And it's widely known that us Shadow Hunters glow in the dark" he had said. I didn't know how to respond. I dropped explaining who Lady Gaga is after he asked me what a 'disco stick' was. "Um, it can be used in a metaphor" I answered hoping he believed me. He tried using the so called 'metaphor' in sentences, the outcome was rather amusing.

After I was done being thoroughly entertained, I opened the door, stepped out into the hall way and saw Simon glaring at me.

"Morning" I said, I tried to step around him, but he blocked me.

"Personal bubble Simon? Ring a bell?" I tried to sound light, but Simon staring me down made me nervous.

"I don't care about your metaphorical surroundings" he said harshly.

"Fine. What do you care about?" I asked "My grades? The weather? If you'll be the best man at my mom's wedding?" I wouldn't speak to anyone this way normally, but Simon was seriously getting on my nerves.

He stepped out of my way, backing down.

"Never mind, it wasn't any of my business anyway" he said.

"My business is always your business Simon, you know that" I replied softly.

"Um, what if it involves our sex lives?" he asked sheepishly.

"Our what?" I asked. At first I didn't catch on, but than I realized what he was getting at.

"You think I-? No, Simon I didn't, No, I didn't sleep with Jace if that's what you're getting at"

He relaxed, the tension in his shoulders settled. "Than what were you _doing_?" He asked me.

"I'm in love with him, Simon" I told him. "When you love someone, it's next to impossible to forget them, not be around them. You might not know it now, but Simon, that's how I feel. We were just together for the night."

"Oh" was all he said. He looked rather embarrassed. 

I smiled than made my way down the stares.

Narrator

When Clary left the room, Jace was still left in confusion. He grabbed his black leather jacket, and laced up his boots. He noticed Clary's green hoodie still on the floor, and picked it up and laid it on the white linen sheets of the bed. He crossed the room to the dresser. He rummaged around in his top drawer and pulled out a small silver box.

The rune of Unity carved in black ink, wrapped around the box. He opened it and regarded the black glass band. This was his mother's engagement ring. Atamis had given it to him. She told him how she'd received it from the family. He hadn't paid attention to her story. He was too transfixed on the thought of having something in his hands, that resembled the love his parents had for each other before Valentine interfered.

He was now twirling the band threw his fingers, hoping that Clary and himself would one day be married. But that 'one day' could be at any moment. Shadow Hunters tended to get married and have kids young, because of the dangerous life they led. Clary and Jace were the two most powerful Shadow Hunters alive, it would only make sense for them to fallow the tradition. But for Clary's benefit, Jace thought that she might want to get married and perhaps start a family in the next couple of years. At sixteen, he didn't know how she would react. He could see Simon lounging at him, if Clary had become pregnant so young. He knew it was a touchy subject, but he would mention it to Clary later that day. Jace put the box in his jacket pocket.

"Clous Grist" Mangus answered. "His body was identified, early this morning, he was sixteen"

Once again the living room was over crowded with people. Clary had made her way to the floor after getting elbowed by Simon accidentally. Her thigh was already starting to bruise. Mangus continued to answer Robert's question as Clary massaged her upper leg.

"Do we have any idea what demon attacked him?" asked Simon.

"We found claw marks on the boy's legs and throat, they were curved like talons. Only a few kinds of demons drink the blood and leave the body. As for the type of demon? Probably a Jijlex **(**_**pronounced jeej-lix)**_ Caw, they're known for blood draining". Answered Alec. Alec and Mangus, awoke early this morning to look for further information.

Clary shivered when Alec mentioned 'blood draining' she'd experienced enough blood draining to last a life time. When she turned to Simon, he looked even more pale than usual. Jace sat down beside from Clary and put his arm around her. She let him play with her hair absent mindedly.

A knock on the brought the conversation to a halt. Jace was already up and at the door. When he opened it a girl, who looked about fourteen, stepped into the doorway.

"Hello" she said nervously. Mangus muttered something about interruptive little girls selling cookies. Apparenly she heard that. "I'm not here for that, Mangus Bane, your dietary habits and protests against children hardly concern me" she told him, in a matter of fact tone. Clary was waiting for Mangus to blast her into a pile of ashes, but he just gave a sarcastic laugh. "Another snarky child, perfect" he said rolling his eyes.

"How can we help you?" Jace asked

"I'm Sage Grist… Clous was my brother." Her voice didn't crack, she didn't cry. She said it like her brother's murder was a fact. "I want to help"


	6. Chapter 6

_**I need your input my virtual lovers! Do you have any idea of what symbols I should use for the new Clave design? I need one for the vamps and fairy peeps, so if you have a suggestions please… well… suggest! I'll come up with the werewolf one, just need some time to think bout it.**_

_**Anyways, it seems like I update my profile daily now so go ahead and check it out! I've got like thirty book suggestions so if you're completely and utterly in book distress or withdrawal than look that up.**_

_**So I'm quite tired this Friday evening at... 12:19 p.m. In fact, I find my thoughts are just starting to turn to brain mush. But, with that aside I will thank you for viewing, subscribing, reviewing, and alerting me. I also find your guys's profiles quite intriguing, thanks for sharing**_

_**-Imagine forever…cha cha slide... blah blah blah, BRAIN MUSH! **_

_**10:11 a.m. –Okay…I just read what I wrote last night….where did my parents go wrong? **_

She stood still in the doorway waiting for the fellow Nephilim to accept her request. They didn't know that she was shaking inside, that only hours before she was screaming and crying at Ilk, dearest Ilk, the only one left in Sage's family, the only one Sage loved as she loved Clous. And Sage had brought her torment upon him. Ilk already had enough sorrow, loosing a sister, brother-in-law and now a nephew. It was just minutes before Sage started to feel guilty for yelling at him.

She stood there, waiting for a response; Jace spoke up.

"And help you can, we'll need it" he smiled, the expression hadn't reached his eyes.

Sage resisted a sigh of relief. But she did release the tension in her lean shoulders.

"Thank you" She said with more gratitude than intended.

Jocelyn pulled up a chair for Sage and she took it.

"My brother Clous, was only one of the many shadowhunters killed, I understand, but he was still close to my heart. We had sworn to protect each other when our parents had died, killed by demons." Tears wouldn't come, she had cried herself dry.

"I'm so sorry" Clary told her.

Sage ignored her, what good was a simple phrase. Sage had betrayed her brother…he died. Sage failed to keep up her end of the accord. And she was paying for it. Emotional pain always took longer to heal. After what Sage had gone through the past couple of years she was sure that this mental scar couldn't be healed.

"I betrayed him, and I'll never be able to turn back the clock… no matter how much I'd like to. But I can avenge his death, I will." Sage looked up at them with more certainty in her pale green eyes than never before.

"I'll tell you what I can, but I want in. And that means included in meetings, searches and missions" she told them sternly.

"A 'please' wouldn't hurt, now would it?" said Mangus pointing a finger in Sage's direction.

Sage raised an eyebrow.

"Ignore Mangus, Sage, he's three hundred years of pure bothersome" said Simon.

"That's _eight_ hundred years, thank you" Mangus replied.

Sage swept a lock of light hair behind her ear. "I'll keep that in mind"

"Where were you when you heard Clous's scream?" asked Robert

"I was with my uncle, Ilk, we were walking outside of the forest, talking about my mother, my uncle's sister" she answered.

"Clous told us that he was going back to the house to rest up for a bit. My uncle and I were too far away from the alleyway to hear the scream; it wasn't until later that we found out what happened. People were searching; my uncle went home to find Clous. When Ilk returned and told me that he was missing, I knew something was up"

"We spent all night searching, when some shadowhunter's brought out the body, my uncle recognized Clous. I was too…eradicated, to do anything" Sage finished. She noticed the one shadowhunter called Isabelle give her a look of sympathy, the red haired girl's eyes softened. Sage looked away, her own mother gave her soft looks similar to Clary's.

***Clary***

A few hours passed and the meeting dragged on. Lunch had been served by Maryse. Before any of us could notice it was three forty two p.m. Sage declared that she should make her way home before dinner, she thanked us and left quickly.

"What do you think of her?" Simon asked me.

"I think she deserves to be in on this…don't you?" I challenged.

"Deserves, yes, but can she handle it, I mean, she's only fourteen?"

I shrugged "Well, let's see she's been alive for the deaths of her parents, on verge of another uprising, and feels as if she's to blame for her brother's death… yes, she can handle it.."

Due to our late lunch, no one felt particularly hungry. The evening was spent for Jace, Isabelle, Alec and I up in our rooms, the adults deep in conversation.

I figured I better get an idea of what design I want to create to resemble The Clave. I already know that the wizards and witches symbol will be the Gray Book and that the Nephilim symbol will be a pair on black angel wings. I figure the werewolf symbol should resemble the unity and bonds that their pacts have for each other…I just can't figure out what yet. Vampires and Fey are tricky… I don't want to focus on anything stereotypical for the vampires like blooded fangs or something too Bram Stoker. But the fey are the hardest… and probably my least favorite kind of downworlder.

I sketch the Gray Book in my sketchpad and continue on the wings. They look good, just a little more shading…and…There! The wings hold something that tells more than men born into a bloodbath, man vs. demon, they look as if they tell a story of love, betrayal, and cosiquensies. A heartfelt tale of the heroes of mankind. I smile. But my smiles cut short by the very unflattering noise of my stomach growling. I look over at the clock above the desk I'm sitting at. It reads 10:24 p.m. Isabelle must have left the room, to get some sleep on the couch downstairs.

Speaking of downstairs a trip to the fridge feels awfully nice at the moment. I head into the hallway and tip toe down the staircase. I flick the lights on and head over to the cupboards to look for anything anti Isabelle home cooked. I settle for dry cereal. I pull myself on to one of the stools by the island, my feet several inches above the ground. I pick at my multigrain cheerios for a bit than creep into the living room to see Isabelle sound asleep, her body lost within a soft blue comforter. I sigh with envy.

"You know, I'm sure we could make my bed seem a lot more heavenly than that couch."

I jumped, probably ten feet in the air.

Jace puts his arms around my waist and kisses my neck.

"You really need to stop doing that…" I whisper

He abruptly stop the kisses, and said "What? Stop the over indulged cheesy remarks …never."

"No, no the kisses and…other stuff is nice, just the whole scaring the crap out of me thing your so good at" I reply.

"You cute when your scared…at least of me." He tells me.

"Well, I suppose we can't argue with that." I remark.

"No, arguing over the cuteness of you would be a waste of time. Unless one was discussing if you were phenomenally cute, remarkably cute or superbly cute. That, would be time well spent." He says.

I nod, but in a scoffing manor. I change the subject, if we talk about my looks too long, I'll get paranoid and end up standing in front of a mirror examining my body head to toe.

"What are you doing up?" I ask

"Couldn't sleep…I've got some stuff on my mind"

"I know, Jace it must be frustrating for you…just finding out who your parents are, I couldn't imagine"

"Other thoughts are occupying my mind actually, thoughts that involve us"

"Us?" I ask surprised.

He looks slightly uncomfortable, which is a first.

"Care to elaborate?"

He takes me by the hand and leads me upstairs. We go into in room and he shuts the door quietly.

"Clary, I love you."

"I know…and I love you too" I smile, Jace tightens his grip on our intertwined fingers, and sits us down on the bed.

"Can we talk about our future?" he asks me.

I get where he's going with this.

"Ugh…sure." I think I start to sweat

"That sounds like a question. Clary I know you realize what I'm getting at"

I sigh.

"Never mind than...I just thought we were getting somewhere with this" he says slightly irritated.

"Jace..." I pause and my next words come pouring out. "If your talking about marriage, babies and the whole ordeal of 'the next step' than I'd be more than happy to say yes. But I'm sixteen. Your seventeen. And I was raised in a world of people who do that sort of thing in their mid twenties and thirties…if not fifties. Well except the baby part. Or so I hope. Anyways, I just don't feel comfortable with that at my age…"

"But you're a shadowhunter Clary. This our culture , we marry young."

I sighed, he had a point and I had a point. I love New York. It's my true home, I was raised and kept my happiest memories there. Alicante, was another home, one that I loved just as much but knew little about. I knew my mother and Luke would be married here in Alicante by the end of the summer which is about two weeks from now. Than they would move back to New York, bringing me with them.

"How about we compromise. We wont get into anything serious now, but not six years from now either." He told me.

"Let's just get a hold of one wedding. We also have to figure out the whole portal thing, why I felt so sick when I went to it, and not to mention I have school to get back to in two weeks." I said.

"Wait- what about you feeling sick?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you did I?" how could I have not mentioned it to anyone. That experience gave me a few nightmares, plus the occasional 'chill down my spine' feeling. "When I went to look at the portal that night, I got this really prickly sensation and not a nice one. It felt like…some shadow of some sort was creeping up on me and enveloping me into darkness"

"Are you sure it was the portal that made you feel sick?" he asked in his all about authority voice.

"Well, that was the only time… I guess so" I said shrugging, I didn't want to freak anyone out. In truth the experience had rattled me more than I'd admit. We were going to the alleyway tomorrow to look further. The thought of feeling like that again was a tad unnerving.

Jace pondered this a bit. Than asked "how are we going to get all of this finished?" I figured he meant all of the things we had to get done in two weeks.

"We have to set up a stable government, you have the Clave Symbol to design, your mom has a wedding to plan, and it's not like we can just ditch this demon/portal thing. Who else is going to do it?" he asked.

"I miss home" I say, and that's the truth, it seems like it's been forever since I've been. "It'll never be the same, our apartment is destroyed so we'll probably move in with Luke, but it'll feel nice to live as a family for once."

"Hey, Jace?" I ask, a new idea had sprung into my head "What if we got the Clave members settled and let them take care of the portal, and go back to New York so I could go to school?"

"That's not a bad idea actually…" he thought.

Than I realized that Sage would be quite distressed if we let other people take over the search. I was sure that the other shadowhunters wouldn't want a fourteen year old girl on the case.

"What about Sage?" I ask

"I'm sure the Clave will be able to figure something out, it's only fair." He told me.

I nod.

"Well I'm tired, so I guess I'll see you in the morning…" I trailed off, trying not to make it too obvious that it would be nice to spend another night with Jace. When he doesn't answer, I make my way to the door, my finger tips just brush the knob when he says "Another night couldn't hurt would it?" he asks slyly .

I turn and run into him with as much love as I can assemble, tackle him on the bed and whisper into his ear "I suppose not." That night was filled with as many kisses that could've lasted a lifetime.


End file.
